One-piece shoe construction



July 6, 1954 1. EIGER ONE-PIECE SHOE CONSTRUCTION 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 29, 1952 INVENTOR [030/ E l? BY I ATTORNEY5 y 6, 1954 I. EIGER 2,682,713

ONE-PIECE SHOE CONSTRUCTION Filed May 29, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOF '[cZa Ea /ye?" ATTORNEYS Patented July 6, 1954 UNITED STATES FATENT OFFICE ONE-PIECE SHOE CONSTRUCTION I Ida Eiger, Spring Valley, N. Y.

Application May 29, 1952, Serial No. 290,781

2 Claims. 1

This invention relates to footwear, and more particularly to an infants footwear such as shoes or bootees.

A primary object of this invention is the provision of an improved simplified flexible bootee for infants, primarily adapted for the purpose of keeping an infants feet warm.

A further object of the invention is the provision of an improved and simplified shoe or bootee adapted for infants in the pro-walking stage.

A further object of the invention is the provision of such a shoe or bootee which may be readily constructed from a. single blank of soft, flexible material, such as flannel or felt.

Still another object of the invention is the provision of such a bootee which may be readily placed on the infants foot and removed therefrom with a minimum of effort and difliculty.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of such a bootee which is extremely simple and inexpensive to manufacture.

Still another object of the invention is the provision of a device of the character which may be readily reversed if desired.

' This invention is particularly referred to and described with respect to infants footwear, it will be understood that the invention is equally applicable to footwear for adults and children, for bedroom wear, ordinary wear, and beachwear. Accordingly, the references herein to infants wear or bootees are not intended as terms of limitation.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a seamless foot covering for infants in the pre-walking stage which will not impede normal foot development.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of a bootee embodying flexibility and adjustability to compensate for foot growth.

Still another object of the invention is the provision of a foot covering which is readily launderable and easily ironed by reason of it simple fiat pattern.

Other objects will in part be obvious and in part be pointed out as the description of the invention proceeds, and shown in the accompanying drawings wherein there is disclosed a preferred embodiment of this inventive concept.

In the drawings- Figure 1 is a plan view of the blank which comprises the shoe prior to folding about an infants foot,

Figure 2 i a, perspective view of the bootee in partially applied position,

Figure 3 is a perspective view of the bootee in fully applied position,

Figure 4 is a side elevational View of the device in applied position,

Figure 5 is a front elevational view of a modified form of construction; and

Figure 6 is a side elevational view of the construction of Figure 5. 7

Similar reference'characters refer to similar parts throughout the several views of the drawings.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, and more particularly to Figure 1, there is generally indicated at It! the blank which forms the shoe or bootee. This blank includes a substantially circular foot covering portion generally indicated at ll about the outer periphery of which are positioned a plurality of spaced apertures [2. Circular portion Ii terminates in a restricted neck portion l3 from which flare outwardly two wings or extensions [4 adapted to envelope the ankle of the wearer. Each of the extensions I4 is provided with a single enlarged aperture l5 adjacent theside thereof closer to circular por-' tion II.

In the application and use of the device, as best shown in Figure 2, a drawstring or lace or tie I6 is threaded alternately through the apertures .IZ, drawn together and tied, gathering the circular portion ll into a bag-shaped receptacle adapted to surround the foot of the infant. The rear portion of drawstring I6 is then crossed and passed through apertures l5 and drawn tight to the position as indicated in Figure 3, forming a securing means for substantially closing the top of the bootee over the top of the infants foot, gathering the foot portion, and forming a series of pleats ll of the excess material.

The body portion II is suitably closed. about the infants foot, the crossed lace I6 is then drawn tight, pulling the wings l4 into close juxtaposition about the ankle or the infant, as best seen in Figures 3 and 4, to form a fold line i8 between the foot portion and the ankle portion,

and a suitable bowknot is formed in the lace to secure the parts in adjusted position. The excess material of wings l4 may be folded downwardly about the ankle to the position shown in Figures 3 and 4, thus forming a warm, secure and snug foot covering.

In the embodiment disclosed in Figures 5 and 6 there is shown a similar foot covering formed of a blank identical with the blank [0, with the exception of the holes l5 which are omitted. The body portion 20 is formed in the same manner as that disclosed in the previous modification and provided with a series of spaced holes 2| and a tie 22 which is tied for the purpose of securing the foot portion in position about the infants foot. As an alternative securing means there may be provided a pair of straps 23, one secured to each of wing portions 24, corresponding to wings 14, which straps are adapted to be crossed as best shown in Figure 5. Each end of each strap 23 is provided with a snap fastener element 25 which is adapted to coact with a corresponding snap fastener element 28 on the body of the foot enveloping portion. The straps, when the snap fastener elements are engaged, will serve to hold the ankle portion securely in closed position and at the same time hold the ankle portion upright at substantially right angles to the foot portion, thus accomplishing the same result as that achieved by the continuation of the ties through apertures l5 in the preceding modification, those portions of the tie It which extend through the apertures It: in wings M, comprising securing means for the same purpose as straps 23.

From the foregoing it will now be seen that there is herein provided an improved infants foot covering which may be manufactured with a minimum of difficulty and expense, which may be put on and removed from the infants foot with a minimum of difiiculty, and which will serve to completely encase the infants foot in order to keep the same warm.

While in the foregoing this invention has been set forth particularly as an infants bootee, it

will be readily understood that the same blank made from flexible leather or the like may be utilized for a moccasin type shoe for either infants of a walking stage or if desired for adults.

As various embodiments may be made of this inventive concept, and as various modifications may be made in the embodiments hereinbefore shown and described, it is to be understood that all matter herein is to be interpreted merely as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

What I claim is:

1. A foot covering comprising a blank formed of a single piece of soft pliable flexible material including a substantially circular foot envelop- 111g portion, a neck comprising a heel and quarter portion extending rearwardly of said circular portion, a pair of wing portions extending transversely and rearwardly of said neck and comprising ankle encircling portions and providing V-shaped cut-out portions between themselves and said circular portion, said circular foot enveloping portion including a series of peripheral apertures equidistantly spaced apart and extending entirely around substantially the front half of said circular portion, and a drawstring extended through said apertures for closing the same about a foot, said ankle encircling wings each being provided with an aperture in the for- Ward corner thereof through which said drawstring is adapted to extend for securing said wings snugly about an ankle and to said foot enveloping portion, said drawstring constituting the only means for securing the elements of the covering about the foot.

2. A foot covering comprising a blank formed of a single piece of soft pliable flexible material including a substantially circular foot envelopingportion, a neck comprising a heel and quarter portion extending rearwardly of said circular portion, a pair of wing portions extending transversely and rearwardly of said neck and comprising ankle encircling portions and providing V-shaped cutout portions between themselves and said circular portion, said circular foot enveloping portion including a series of peripheral apertures equidistantly spaced apart and extending entirely around substantially the front half of said circular portion, and a drawstring extended through said apertures for closing the same about a foot, said ankle encircling wings each being provided with securing means extending from the forward. corners thereof to the diagonally opposite sides of the foot portion and secured thereto, said drawstring and securing means acting to secure said wings and foot enveloping portion snugly about an ankle and foot portion, no other means being provided for securing the element of the covering about the foot and ankle.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number "Name Date D. 57,456 Wagner Mar. 29, 1921 D. 146,340 Shafier Feb. 11, 1947 599,491 Cammeyer Feb. 22, 1898 988,159 Wiltse Mar. 28, 1911 1,272,137 Smith July 9, 1918 1,291,958 Lund Jan. 21, 1919 1, l38,072 Wagner Dec. 5, 1922 1,807,792 Miller June 2, 1931 2,444,822 Griffin July 6-, 1948 

